The Air Line Pilots Association of Canada (ALPA Canada) has urged the government to take action to repatriate the crew of the Pivot company who have been held in the Dominican Republic for seven months on a cocaine seizure case.
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“After nearly seven months, the crew is still detained and unable to leave the country,” said Tim Perry, president of the Air Line Pilots Association of Canada (ALPA Canada). ALPA Canada has been working very hard to bring these Canadians home by every means available and through diplomatic channels with pivot management, other unions, the police and government officials.”
According to him, it is appalling that the Dominican authorities decided to arrest these people, knowing that they were following all local and international protocols and regulations when they immediately reported their discovery.
Five crew members discovered the drugs on the plane and alerted authorities, the airline said.
Dominican authorities found eight packages, each containing 25 smaller bags, of possible cocaine in the control compartments of the plane, the Dominican Republic’s National Directorate of Drug Control said on April 6.
“The evidence points to no wrongdoing on the part of the crew and on August 30, Pivot’s attorneys moved that the case against the crew be dismissed. Unfortunately, the Dominican authorities continue to ignore what has been presented to them,” Mr. Perry added.
ALPA also denounced the lack of an interpreter or translator during the hearings, the lawyers representing the crew could not explain to the court why this case should be dropped.
“We are extremely frustrated by the Canadian government’s lack of progress on this dossier and are concerned about the actions of the authorities in the Dominican Republic. Once again we reiterate our request for the Government of Canada to act expeditiously to repatriate these Canadians,” said Mr. Perry, who has lost confidence in the Dominican authorities and the judicial process.